ANC is on path of ‘renewal’, says deputy president

Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa on Saturday urged South Africans to unite in getting rid of “greedy and corrupt people”, while remaining hopeful as the ANC is undergoing a process of “renewal”.

“This year, we seek to renew the African National Congress, we seek to unite the African National Congress around values of integrity, values of honesty, values of leaders who will not be greedy and try to rob the people of this country – of leaders who will not be corrupt. That is the African National Congress that we are seeking to renew,” he said.

Ramaphosa was speaking at nonprofit organisation the Aryan Benevolent Home Council’s fundraising gala dinner at the weekend. “Let us remain hopeful as South Africans. The events that are unfolding now are not events that should make us scared, are not events that should make us afraid of the future that beckons,” he said.

“What is happening now is a process that is going to trigger that renewal – that renewal that we all need.”

Ramaphosa said South Africa was a great country with great people, but the people were yearning for leadership. The renewal of the ANC must bring forth a government that will once again serve the interests of the people.

“What you are required to do as citizens of this country is to support the efforts that are going to be made by those who want to make sure that our country lives up to the values of Nelson Mandela – that our country lives up to the values of Oliver Tambo.

“Be in support of those who will be leading that charge because a moment of great renewal is upon us and we should not let it go by. “We should grasp this because that moment has arrived. Let us act together in unity. Unite our movement, unite our country about one goal – the goal of making South Africa great, the goal of making South Africa corruption free, the goal of making South Africa a South Africa that we can all be proud of – and getting rid of greedy people, corrupt people in our midst.”

The deputy president also referred to the legacy of Tambo, who would have been 100 years old this year

“What he stood for was unity because he held the ANC together in exile and he brought it back in one piece in 1991 after the ANC was banned, which is where I was elected secretary-general. We went through trials and tribulations, there were threats of divisions, but we held it together and brought it back home in one piece. And when he departed as the president, handing over to Madiba, he said ‘I am now handing over to you, look after this organisation of our people’. This is a task that we plan to take forward,” Ramaphosa said.

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